Following are official correspondence all that mention Tazewell, Tennesse. Tazewell
was Headquarters of several Divisions of the Union Army during the Civil War
(some
records may be accessed by clicking on blue heading)
CONFIDENTIAL.] HDQRS. CAVALRY BRIGADE AND DISTRICT,
General
ECHOLS:
GENERAL:
I have just returned form a tour of inspection in which I visited the several
battalions of my command, and am glad to be able to report them all increasing
in numbers and improving in drill, discipline, &c., but sadly deficient in
clothing, arms, equipments, &c. I have sent Major Clarke, my quartermaster,
to Wytheville, to receive and receipt for what clothing is coming to my
command, and obtain whatever quartermaster stores he is able. Lieutenant
Carrington, ordnance officer, also goes after ordnance stores, with full
reports of all our wants. It is sincerely hoped he may be successful in
obtaining all that is needed. I find the people in the country thoroughly
aroused to a sense of duty, and believe that in a fortnight I shall have most
of the men liable to military service in the field. With the Twenty-fifth
Virginia Cavalry Regiment I believe I could move out of this county by 1st of
April with 1,200 or 1,500 effective men, whose course of discipline will insure
good service. I had Harrison Thomas, Company B, Fourth
Kentucky, executed yesterday, in presence of his regiment. He was charged with
repeated desertion and robbing and bushwhacking. It was an assumption of
authority, but I believe justified under the circumstances. Nothing but the
most severe measures will redeem our army from the great curse of absence
without leave and desertion; and the slow process and uncertainty of trail by
the military court almost grant an immunity to such
offenders. The Seventh Confederate is behaving much better.
Am in hopes of making something out of it. Its physique
is as good as any battalion of my command. Its morale, however, is, or has bee,
desperately bad. It is increasing almost every day by absentees coming up. I
find these people very patriotic, and willing to contribute their sons and
their substance to the cause, but their condition will be most destitute and
employable if the present conscript laws are strictly enforced in this country.
There are an unusually small number of old men who are mechanics and artisans,and fewer negroes here, owing to their proximity to the enemy. This
being so, it will almost be indispensable to the public economy of this country
to make a detail of a few of the most useful tanners, shoemakers, blacksmiths,
millers, &c. If such details are not admissible by the War Department I
would think it advisable to give these people advantage of the exception to
this extent, due their location as in neutral territory. Please inform me what
can be done in the premises. Lieutenant Heslpe,
enrolling officer for this county, has arrived; is not yet posted sufficiently
in his new duties and new district to give me the desired information. The
enemy recently made some slight demonstration from
Ever
truly, yours, &c.,
H.
L. GILTNER,
Colonel, &c.
P.
S.-It would be a very great favor if Major McMahon could send my quota of
clothing to the terminus of the macadamized road at Seven-Mile Ford. It is
sixty-five miles from my headquarters to Abingdon,
over a very rough, bad road, and my teams will be very much exhausted by the
time they reach there, and my transportation is very limited anyhow. Major
Clarke, quartermaster, will want some quartermaster's funds, as he has had none
for four months, and needs it very much. It is hoped Major McMahon will be able
to supply him.
Yours,
truly,
H.
L. GILTNER,
Colonel, &c.
(Received
11.15 27th.)
Major
J. S. JOHNSTON:
If
you have not received orders to report elsewhere, I desire you to remain where
you are as assistant adjutant-general if it suits you, as it will be necessary
for me to have an officer in
Official Records : Page 75 | EXPEDITION INTO
Reports
of Lieutenant Colonel William C. Bartlett, Second
(Mostly by
this time there were only bands of Renegade Rebels looting and pillaging the
area.)
Citizens of Tazewell and the surrounding area
formed Tiger Company to
combat them.
On
the 3rd I made a reconnaissance toward Jonesville. Was
attacked yesterday morning at Ball's Bridge by about 250 rebels. We
whipped them and drove them back up the valley. Owing to high waters I did not
follow them over a couple of miles. I had 103 men with me. Has courier arrived
with letter of mine to A. G. If so please retain
letter till you hear from me. Please answer.
W. C. BARTLETT,
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Captain DEANE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Part
of Giltner's command surrounded Tazewell this a. m. and made a formal demand for surrender. This
was refused, and they attacked
W. C. BARTLETT,
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Brigadier-General TILLSON.
ADDENDA.
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE AND
FOURTH DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,
Knoxville, Tenn.,
Lieutenant
Colonel W. C. BARTLETT,
Commanding,
Your
dispatch received. I congratulate you upon your success. How much force did the
enemy have? Is there any reason to suppose that they were the advance of any
considerable force, or that it means anything more than a raid?
Brigadier General
This
was probably the last action seen at the Tazewell
Garrison as the Civil War ended soon thereafter.
Following
is Official Correspondence between General Lee and General Grant effecting the surrender of Lee at
"HEAD-QUARTERS
ARMIES OF THE
"5 P.
"GENERAL R. E. LEE, COMMANDING C. S. A.
" GENERAL,--The results of the last week must convince you of the
hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia
in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from
myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of you
the surrender of that portion of the Confederate Southern army known as the
Army of Northern Virginia.
" Very respectfully, " Your obedient
servant, " U. S. GRANT,
"Lieutenant-General commanding Armies of the U. S."
To which General Lee replied,--
"
" R. E. LEE, " General. "
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, commanding the Armies of the
On the succeeding day General Grant returned the following reply:
"
"TO GENERAL R. E. LEE, COMMANDING C.S.A.
"GENERAL, -- Your note of the last evening, in reply to mine of the same
date, asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of
Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my
great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, -- namely, that
the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking up arms again
against the government of the
"
"Lieutenant-General."
General Lee immediately responded:
"
"GENERAL, -- I received at a late hour your note of today. In mine of
yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of
"R. E. LEE,
"General.
"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT."
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